Offshore farms to harness wind energy in India

According to reports, an expert committee has suggested that offshore farms to harness wind energy may be set up at Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari, Maharashtra, Kerala-Konkan and Gujarat, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said during Question Hour that his ministry had constituted an Offshore Wind Energy Steering Committee to develop offshore wind power in India in a planned manner.

The panel, headed by Secretary, MNRE, had constituted a sub-committee under Chairman, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, to suggest draft policy guidelines for development of wind energy activities in the country.

“The sub-committee submitted its report to the Ministry in September 2012,” he said.

It identified Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari, Maharashtra, Kerala-Konkan and Gujarat for locating wind farms in shallow waters 12 nautical miles from the coast, he said adding it also suggested setting up of a National Offshore Wind Authority for giving licences for such farms on lines of the oil and gas exploration licensing.

Though there is huge potential, offshore wind energy is expensive with no final figures arrived yet, he said. Power evacuation was a problem with no developer willing to lay transmission lines to bring electricity from the installations standing in the sea to onland.